Corn-planter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. H. LETZ.

CORN PLANTER. v

Patented Aug. 21, 1883.

1; A u lglTlE INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES u PETEns. Hmwuun n mr.\Vnhinglon. D. c

ing had therein UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

LOUIS IIOL LAYD LETZ, OF CHICAGO, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO JOHN SCHRUM, OFDOLTEN, ILLINOIS.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION. forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,621, dated August21, 1883.

Application filed Mzi'y 3, 1883. (No modelJ ing at Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented eertain'new anduseihllmprovements in Corn-Planters, of which the following is aspecification, reference beto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to the class. of cornplanters that havesled-runners to open the furrows, seed-boxes that drop the corn'atproper intervals into such furrows, which are then closed again bywheels passing over the furrows. Such a machine generally consists oftwo sections, the frames of which are pivotally-coupled, the forwardsection having the rigid pole for hitching the horses, the sledrunnersfor opening the furrows, and behind these and in line therewith theseed-boxes, while the rear section consists of a two-wheel truck thathas a seat for the driver and 1e vers for controlling the operation ofthe ma chine.

My invention particularly relates to devices for automatically operatingthe seed-box slides, and for marking the spots for the next adjacentparallel rows to be planted, which devices are attached to the hindtruck and driven by the traction of the truck-wheels. I have in thedrawings only shown the rear sec tion or truck of the corn-planter, thefore part of the machine being of the usual construction.

My invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of deviceshereinafter de scribed and specifically claimed. 7

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 rep resents a plan view ofthehind truck of a cornplanter having my attachments. Fig. 2 representsa front elevation of the same. .Fig. 3 is an elevation of the crank-diskand vibratable arms. Fig. 4. is a front view of thecrank oscillatingmechanism; Fig. 5, an elevation of the fulcrunrbracket for theoscillating crank and vibratable arms. Fig. 6 is an elevation andsectional edge View of the friction-coupling. Fig. 7 represents a rearelevation of the coupling lever and sleeve; Fig. 8, a sectionalelevation of one setv of corn-marker arms, and Fig. 9 an end elevationof one of the V brackets.

Corresponding letters in the several figures of the drawings designatelike parts.

The beam A has secured against its bottom the axle, upon the ends ofwhich are journaled the hubs of truck-wheels B B, that have broad rims,and are intended to pass over the furrows after the corn is droppedtherein, and to close the same, and one of these wheels, B, has

' secured to its hub a sprocket-wheel, a.

Upon the axle-beam A are secured two longitudinal beams, O C, which attheir rear ends are connectedby a cross-beam, D, and upon the front endsof beams O C is rigidly secured a cross-beam, E, the ends of whichproject be yond beams C O.

To the under side of beam E are secured two hanger-bearings, Z), thatcarry shaft F, and upon this shaft Fis loosely sleeved a sprocketwheel,G, which, by an endless chain, H, is driven from sprocket-wheel a. oftraction-wheel B. This sprocket-wheel G has a projecting rim to oneside, the inner surface of which is turned to be true, concentric withthe bore of the hub of such wheel. Inside of the rim of wheel G isrigidly mounted upon shaft F a hub, R, that has twodiametrically-opposite arms. To the endof each such arm is pivotallysecured by ascrew, c, a pawl, (Z, that has an eccentrically-faced end,which is turned against the interior surface of the rim of sprocketwheelG by a spiral spring, 0, and has a curved arm that extends toward thecenter of wheel G past shaft F, in such a manner that the arms of 7 bothpawls d are at opposite sides of such shaft.

Asleeve, f, that has a conical or spherical end, is bored to slide uponshaft F, and by a link, g, is coupled to the end of lever I, that ispivoted to the depending bracket 71, secured to beam E. This sleeve,when pushed by lever I toward hub R, will enter between the arms orpawls 2, and will turn their eccentric faces away from the internalsurface of the rim of sprocketwheel G, so as not to come in contacttherewith; but when shifted away from hub B it will release the pawls d,the eccentric faces of which will then turn against the rim ofsprocketwheel G- in a manner that the shaft F will be locked with suchsprocket-wheel to rotate therewith while the machine is moving for ward,but to slip and have no hold with a rearward motion of the same. Uponshaft F is 2' asaeai' also rigidly mounted a disk, J, having acrankplate 70 is pivotally secured the end of a vibratable' arm, i andz", and these arms t 'i are coupled together in their middle by a link,3, in a manner that they will vibrate simultaneously. The swinging endsof these arms will alternately be brought in contact with the rotatingcrank-pin sof disk J, that with pushing one arm, 2', inward the otherarm, i, will be swung outward, and vice versa, in a manner to vibratesuch arms alternately at uniform intervals. The armi has a projectingstud, Z, that engages with a notch of crank L, pivoted to a hubprojecting from the forward end of bracket K in a manner that thealternate vibrations of arms m will transmit an intermittent oscillatingmovement to such crank L. This crank L, by suitable connections, is tobe coupled with the slides of the seed-boxes, to open and close the samewith each oscillation.

To the ends of shaft F are coupled, by universal joints m, shafts M,which are supported in V-brackets n, that are secured to the ends of Iets are coupled together by a spiral spring, 0,

that will push such bars 0 0 out to their limited full extent, and willallow either 'one to yield to an end-pressure. With this arrangement thearms 0 0 not only will accommodate themselves to the undulations of theground, but with any more serious obstruction the shaft-extension M willyield also, so as to illsure perfect safety of theseparts againstbreakage. As the machine passes over the field the ends of arms 0 0 willmake impressions in the ground, that will be the guide for the machineto plant the next adjacent rows of corn. In case the corn-marker arms 0O are not required, as with the last rows of corn to be planted, orwhile the machine is transported to or from the field, they can beraised and locked in an elevated position by pin g, passed 5 5 through ahole in V-bracket n.

The position of lever I is such that the driver can operate it from hisseat, and thus can start and stop the rotation of shaft F, that operatesthe seed-box slides markers.

The devices described and shown are simple in their construction andreliable in their operation.

I am aware that itis not new to employ in corn-planters an axle dividedinto three parts the sections of which are connected by'universaljoints, the object being to allow the wheels to accommodate themselvesto the inequalities of the surface; and I am also aware that it is oldto employ in such devices yielding rods to mark the ground, andtherefore I do notclaim those features, broadly.

What I claim is 1. In a corn-planter, the sprocket-wheel G,

sleeved upon shaft F, and having a projecting rim, in combination withthe two-armed hub R, rigidly mounted upon such shaft, and havingeccentrically-faced pivotal pawls d, and

springs c, and with conical sleeve f, coupled with lever I, allsubstantially as described, to operate as specified. i

2. In a corn-planter, the disk J, with crankpin 8, rigidly mounted uponshaft F, in combination with bracket K, vibratable arms 2' i,

connected by link j, and with notched crank L, all substantially as andfor the purpose described, to operate as specified.

3. Ina corn-planter, and in combination with the shalt F, the auxiliaryshafts M M,

and markers 0 0, said shafts M M connected to shaft F by universaljoints m, and supported in V-shaped brackets a, substantially asdescribedand shown.

4. In a corn-planter, the combination, with shafts F M M, connected byuniversal joints, as described, of springs 19, brackets 0, 0, andmarkers 0 .O, the marker 0 being slotted, as described, and for thepurpose set forth.

I11 testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

LOUIS HOLLAND LETZ.

WVitnesses:

LOUIS NOLTING, ADAM GEO. WHITE.

and carries the corn-plant 6o

